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As an IBM Cloud Architect for the past 6 years I have focused on the development, delivery and the maturity of cloud computing implementation with clients, partners and service providers. Recently the focus of “Hybrid” cloud services and implementations has seen a sharp rise as a strategic initiative for many clients. By the industry definition, hybrid cloud provides services extending your data center to off premise private and public cloud. Hybrid cloud should leverage your investment in a common infrastructure model, operational management, user experience and skills. Hybrid cloud allows you to deploy and run your applications onsite, offsite, or in both combination. Likewise, hybrid cloud model that you adopt should ensure your cloud users have no need to rewrite applications or change APIs and have consistent user experience across deployment environments on-premise and off-premise. Taking a closer look at off-premise cloud models, many enterprises concerned with control points, security and isolation consider using a dedicated private cloud tied into their on-premise data center. This environment provides single-tenant, isolated compute resources, and administration control. This can be combined with additional managed services provided through a cloud service provider or self-managed directly by the enterprise tenant. A dedicated private cloud can be ideal for DevOps and production workloads. Another common model is a virtual private... [Continue Reading]

In my first post , I discussed how combining Software Defined Environments (SDE) and deployment automation reduces application delivery time and increases agility. In this post, I look at these capabilities in greater depth. In summary they deliver the following benefits: SDE combines OpenStack-based Software Defined Infrastructure (SDI) with application patterns to repeatably and reliably create the application environments for each stage of the delivery pipeline. Deployment automation stream-lines deployment of applications into development, test and production environments via automation and elimination of manual tasks. This SDE enabled approach to application delivery is illustrated in the figure reproduced here. Deployment automation and application lifecycle Deployment automation is central to enabling IT organizations to accelerate delivery by the elimination of manual tasks. As shown above, it automates environment creation via the SDE layer and perform application deployment, along with component tracking and versioning. These tools also manage the configuration of each SDE environment, database and application component, ensuring repeatable and consistent delivery. This is an end-to-end solution from test environments, through to production. The approach tests the deployment and configuration process as much as the application code itself, eliminating configuration errors that would impact service availability. At the... [Continue Reading]

Today, organizations likely face the same challenges as many of our large complex accounts. Specifically, they would like to be in a position to anticipate market changes and shifts in customer sentiments or preferences while continuing to not only outpace the competition, but also disruptions in their space. Companies employ strategies to deliver business value by leveraging the following technologies to engage customers: Social media Mobile – MDM and MADP (Mobile Device Management and Mobile Application Development Platform) Cloud Big data – including NoSQL, which is sometimes referred to as not just SQL Analytics Traditional sources The goal is to access applications and data from anywhere, globally. No matter the size of the enterprise, companies want to be nimble (if not the most nimble, at least nimble enough to be able to quickly respond to global business trends as they develop). To do this, organizations need to tap into vast amounts of both structured and unstructured data to provide a competitive edge. The ability to instantly access information at the right time to make effective decisions means that organizations need to be able to manage larger volumes and greater variety of data at a velocity that allows them to stay ahead of trends. The goal is to move beyond intuition and instinct to gather and act upon information of all types (volume and variety), as well as to gather information that allows us to opportunistically adjust the course and speed of... [Continue Reading]

IBM Edge2014 – The premier event for infrastructure innovation (May 19-23) is in full swing in Las Vegas. As we have already seen the excitement on day 1 and day 2 at Edge, yesterday (the third day of the event) was no exception. More than 4200 attendees from 1009 companies across 22 industries and 55 countries made it to the event to discover latest technologies and share best practices in infrastructure innovation. Let’s take a quick look at what all happened yesterday at Edge2014: Technical Edge More than 150 expert technical sessions and hands-on labs were held spanning 14 technical tracks including Software Defined Environments (SDE) and Storage . Attendees were able to get unparalleled technical education plus numerous opportunities to expand their professional network. With IBM’s latest announcements around SDE and storage, we got to see lot of excitements among our participants. Additionally, the Edge2014 Solution Center featured exhibits from more than 50 sponsors plus the IBM Infrastructure Matters Zone. Attendees got real-life experience to explore the products and personally interact with experts. No doubt, the solution center fetched huge traffic and excitement to learn more about IBM latest innovations. Winning Edge At the Winning Edge, IBM Systems & Technology Group (STG) Specialty Business Partners and IBM Sellers were invited and offered an exclusive and concise sales education opportunity. The... [Continue Reading]

IBM Edge2014 – The premier event for infrastructure innovation is making waves in Las Vegas. On Tuesday (the second day of the event), more than 4200 technology leaders and practitioners from all industries participated to sharpen their expertise, discover the latest technologies, and share best practices in infrastructure innovation. Here are the key highlights: General Session Day 2: Creating an Agile Infrastructure The second day of Edge2014 started off with the General Session: Creating an Agile Infrastructure . While General Session Day 1: “ Infrastructure Innovation that Matters ” discussed the what and why aspects of it, the General Session Day 2 focused on how IBM solutions can deliver on the promise of infrastructure’s value through the lens of cloud, analytics, mobile and social. The session was moderated by Stephen Leonard – General Manager, Sales IBM Systems & Technology Group (STG), and brought together top IBM client and executives like Chris O’Connor - Vice President, IBM Cloud & Smarter Infrastructure, Arvind Krishna – General Manager, Development and Manufacturing, IBM STG, Maria Winans, Vice President, IBM Social Business who delivered insights on infrastructure innovations. The session explained how to simplify, accelerate and deliver IT in the era of cloud, big data, mobile and social. For instance, during the session Maria Winans -Vice President, IBM Social Business spoke... [Continue Reading]

IBM Edge 2014 event kicked off yesterday May 19th 2014 in Las Vegas, bringing together more than 4200 technology leaders and practitioners from across the world to learn and discover the latest in infrastructure innovation. Let’s take a look at some of the exciting events that took place yesterday: The Executive General Session Day 1 talked about the what and why aspects of Infrastructure Innovations. Hosted by Stephen Leonard - General Manager Sales, IBM Systems & Technology Group (STG), the session not only highlighted some of the top concerns being faced by businesses today in the era of cloud, big data, mobile and social but also explored why IT infrastructure is critical to business success. Leading IBM experts like Tom Rosamilia – Senior Vice President, IBM STG, Jamie Thomas – General Manager, IBM Storage & Software Defined Systems, Adalio Sanchez – General Manager, IBM System x and top IBM Clients & Business Partners joined the session and delivered insights. You can watch the full coverage here . Today it’s going to be even interesting as in the General Session Day 2 (8.45 AM PT), we will explore how organizations can realize competitive advantage building their cloud, analytics, mobile and social initiatives on IBM infrastructure solutions. Don’t miss this unique opportunity! Main Tent Sessions: EdgeTalks - Innovation That Impacts Our World A special session hosted by Surjit Chana, Vice President... [Continue Reading]

Today at IBM Edge 2014 - The premier event for infrastructure innovation, IBM Systems & Technology Group’s Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Surjit Chana, will host a special session called Edge Talks: Innovation that Impacts our World . The session will talk about innovations and how great ideas can help organizations move ahead. During EdgeTalks (the opening session of the Executive Edge at Edge2014), our Vice President along with several eminent speakers from TED Talks ® will discuss innovation that impacts our world and explore major global issues like food supply, health & wellness, and security. The session will also highlight thought provoking, bold solutions that resulted from daring to think differently and act differently. The eminent speakers from TED Talks will be: Ron Finley, the renegade gardener who transformed a Los Angeles food desert one urban garden at a time. (Twitter: @RonFinleyHQ ) John Wilbanks who will address the convergence of technologies that capture personal data and their uneasy connection with privacy laws and ethics. (Twitter: @Wilbanks ) Peter S. Singer, the author of “Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know.” (Twitter: @PeterWSinger ) I am sure you don’t want to miss this session! Join us today May 19th 2014 at 3 PM PT in the Venetian Ballroom (Level 2) and see how thinking big and daring to be bold with problem solving approaches can have wide reaching... [Continue Reading]

In the course of my field travels for IBM, I have heard Software Defined Storage referred to as “just marketing talk,” “a re-spin of old technology,” and “adding another layer of complexity to the cloud.” In this short tech note, I will illustrate the key reasons why Software Defined Storage (SDS) is not only important for enterprise cloud infrastructures, but necessary for enabling: Orchestration Automation Scalabilty Software Defined Storage – What is it? To begin with a simple definition, Software Defined Storage is comprised of two distinct layers: the control plane and the data plane . The first layer is control plane that provides a central point of intergration as well as common northbound APIs like REST. This layer also provides orchestration and automation tasks to the underlying data storage as requested by the cloud infrastructure. This can be tasks such as automated provisioning, policy management, tiering and monitoring. The second layer is the data plane. This is a very large bucket which provides different types of storage such as NAS, object, and block storage. Along with the different storage devices, features and functions such as data protection, replication, snapshots and storage networking are key components of this plane. Software Defined Storage – Why do you need it? Now that we have a quick overview of Software... [Continue Reading]

IBM is one of the key members participating at the Cloud Computing East 2014 conference which is opening today at Hilton in Downtown Washington, DC. The 2-day event (May 15-16) will focus on the unique issues, opportunities and special considerations that apply to the two industry verticals of Healthcare and Government in the adoption of cloud computing solutions. Healthcare remains one of the fastest growing verticals of the global economy. Deliver wide-ranging functionality, drive innovative processes, and do more with less are some of the prominent challenges being faced by this vertical. In order to accomplish these and compete globally, Healthcare is combining cloud technology and creativity in its business models. IBM is well positioned to help Healthcare build a connected, agile and transparent ecosystem. At the Cloud Computing East 2014 conference, I along with few other IBM members will address some of the major concerns underpinning Healthcare and discuss how IBM’s proven capabilities like Cloud, Software Defined Environments and Watson can enable achieve greater efficiency and improved outcomes for this vertical. Join me in the session: Redefining Value and Success in Healthcare Cloud Enabled Transformation, tomorrow Friday May 16 from 8.50-9.30 AM Eastern Time in Track B of the Cloud Computing HEALTHCARE (hCloud). I enthusiastically invite you and look forward to hearing your thoughts during the session. If you have any questions, write to me... [Continue Reading]

Cloud , analytics , mobile and social are transforming the world and bringing opportunities to business. This is an incredible moment. But many organizations have not been able to harness the value of their investments in this space. We need a new IT model, designed for the new era. It comes down to the fact that infrastructure matters . The right infrastructure helps deliver real-time insights so you can make better business decisions, faster. It delivers performance efficiently, optimizes IT resources and is easy to consume. It’s also scalable and secure, providing safe, shared access to all relevant information no matter where that information resides. All of that sounds great. But, as I often hear clients ask, how do you make sure you’re choosing the right infrastructure for your business? It doesn’t have to be hard. Coming up on May 19-23 at Edge2014 in Las Vegas, you can tap into IBM’s point of view on the right choices for your business – formed by what we’ve learned in over 20,000 client engagements globally, in every country, every market. Edge2014 is the premier event for infrastructure innovation, where leading worldwide industry experts will discuss why IT infrastructure matters and how organizations can realize competitive advantage building their cloud, analytics, mobile and social initiatives optimized by IBM infrastructure innovations. Over the course of the event, you can: Gain insights into key... [Continue Reading]

IBM's Strategy for Software Defined Network (SDN) is going to be one of the key areas to be covered at Edge 2014 – The premier event for infrastructure innovation. I invite you to join me to explore how we plan ahead with Software Defined Network and our key initiatives around SDN. At Edge 2014, from May 19-23 at the Venetian in Las Vegas, I am going to detail step-wise rollout plan that will fully capture the transformation in your network architecture without vendor lock-in. This unique opportunity will also help you realize the potential of OpenDaylight , an open-source based Network Virtualization framework that integrates with OpenStack , supporting hypervisors such as VMware, KVM, and others. This lecture will describe IBM's data center strategy to finally complete the virtualization framework and leverage the power of cloud using industry best practices designs and open software tools. Come join me to learn about the vital differentiation of our SDN solutions in this rapidly evolving space. Here are the complete session details: Session Number Session Name Date & Time Location Speaker sSV08 IBM's Strategy for Software Defined Network Thursday, May 22th, 2014 - 1.45 pm–2.45 pm PT Friday May 23rd, 2014 - 10.30 am-11.30 am PT Lido 3104 Tom W Yin - Global Network Executive, IBM SDN Sales I am sure you would not want to miss this out. Register and be a part of this exciting gathering. I look forward to your... [Continue Reading]

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is an evolving architecture that is dynamic, manageable, cost-effective and adaptable, making it ideal for the high-bandwidth, dynamic nature of today's applications. Now that SDN has become an everyday speak for many IT professionals in a Software Defined Environment , what do we really mean when we talk about SDN? What are its implications and business opportunities? IBM Edge 2014 – The premier event for infrastructure innovation, from May 19-23 at Venetian in Las Vegas, will address many concerns about SDN and discuss end-to-end SDN architecture through exclusive expert sessions, clients’ success stories, etc. I would like to highlight some of the sessions at Edge that will outline many aspects of SDN and how IBM SDN capabilities help customers in developing, deploying, managing and maintaining a simplified, responsive and highly adaptive infrastructure : Building Scalable, Programmable Network Fabric with SDN Software Defined Networking (SDN) promise administrators to dynamically program networking devices using APIs. IBM Software Defined Network for Virtual Environment (SDN VE) controller with related applications allows administrators to build large scale network fabric from a central controller while using open standards such as OpenFlow, OpenStack, and OpenDaylight. This session will explain the technology behind SDN VE, unravel the latest SDN buzz... [Continue Reading]

I am writing this blog post as one of the series of articles on my previous post: Re-envisioning enterprise IT in the era of mobile, social with open cloud . My first blog introduced the scope of these posts looking at some of the challenges faced and the potential solutions discussed in this series of blogs. In that first post I observed it is estimated that 40 percent of all IT spending is now outside the IT department. If IT does not change, then there is a real potential they will go the way of the Dodo and become extinct. So what is holding IT back from changing and delivering the agility, flexibility and lower costs that users are looking for? My assertion is that one of the handicaps facing IT today is the “contract” of behaviors and expectations that have built up between IT and the business. It needs resetting, but what is this contract of expectations? Here are a few of my views. Project-based funding The near universal use of project-based funding for application delivery has a perverse effect on how IT invests and handles the whole life management of applications and business services. As IT’s first focus is typically on delivery and operation, my observation is that the tools, procedures and culture are not in place to allow for change over the course of the life of an application and its supporting infrastructure. Funding through life is limited, so... [Continue Reading]

IBM Power Systems deliver advantages that are unique in the industry and provide accelerated innovation for cloud. Whether it’s private cloud, public cloud or a hybrid cloud solution, Power Systems offer a flexible, open, and powerful platform for cloud workloads. Here are five effective Power Systems’ advantages for the cloud: 1) Exceptional Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS) – and performance Reliability and availability are critical for workloads delivered through the cloud. In Power Systems mid-range and high-end systems, we see mean time between failures in the range of 70 to 100 years. This equates to 99.997 percent availability. Power Systems also have features to help manage virtual machine availability and elasticity such as Live Partition Mobility and dynamic resource allocation. Moreover, with the latest announcement of POWER8 systems, Power Systems have upped the performance customers can get from scale-out servers built on POWER8 technology. 2) Leadership virtualization Power Systems with PowerVM have one of the industry’s most resilient and flexible hypervisors, supporting virtual machines (VMs) running in as small as one-twentieth of a core or up to 256 cores. PowerVM provides extraordinary VM isolation. High density and high virtualization help lower total cost of ownership and simplify management with consolidated resources. Power is... [Continue Reading]

Among tech topics that generated most buzz at the recently concluded Red Hat Summit in San Francisco - cloud , software defined infrastructures and open source stood out. Leading experts in the industry shared valuable insights on the vast opportunity, business value, and competitive advantages of these technologies. In one of the discussions, Scott Firth , Director - IBM Software Defined Environments (SDE), delivered insights on the many facets of cloud, software defined and open source including their respective value propositions, implications on IT infrastructure as well as IBM’s next move around these technologies. The discussion was led by SiliconANGLE’s John Furrier and Wikibon’s Stu Miniman inside theCUBE from the floor of Red Hat Summit 2014. Here are some of the key excerpts of the conversation: ♦ The discussion started with Scott’s comments on the IBM’s strategic decision to invest in Linux back in 1999 when it was still in its infancy stage and IBM’s outlook on open source technologies today ♦ Scott (with IBM for more than 30 years) emphasized some highlights of the long-standing IBM-Red Hat alliance, starting with solutions for Linux applications running on thousands of Linux Virtual Machines on the mainframe, to performing data analytics on Power Systems and Intel-based systems. ♦ On the cloud and open source front, Scott suggested that open source will... [Continue Reading]